Why Peak Oil Will Bring us Closer

In this excerpt from his new book "Eaarth", Bill McKibben discusses how such efforts as the Transition movement and farmer's markets are tapping into our need for neighbors.

1 minute read

April 28, 2010, 7:00 AM PDT

By Michael Dudley


Cheap oil made us the first society in history that had no need for neighbors; we can acquire anything we want or need on our own. That's about to change, argues Bill McKibben, as the forces of peak oil and climate change will require that we get to know one another again.

"The Transition Town movement began in England and has spread to North America and Asia; in one city after another, people are building barter networks, expanding community gardens. And they've paid equal, or even greater, attention to suburbia; in the developed world, after all, that's where most people live. Across the country communities have begun to transform themselves.

Often a farmers' market is the catalyst -- not just because people find that they like local produce, but because they actually meet each other again. It shouldn't surprise us that farmers' markets are the fastest-growing part of our food economy; they are simply the way that humans have always shopped, acquiring gossip and good cheer along with calories."

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 in AlterNet

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view of wide street in Cleveland, Ohio with blue 55th Street sign and red brick three-story building visible in right corner.

Cleveland to Boost Bike Safety With New Bike Lanes, School Programs

The program, using curriculum created by Cleveland Bikes, is part of a broader effort to improve safety along school routes.

1 hour ago - Signal Cleveland

Aerial view of heavily damaged mobile homes after a hurricane in Florida.

Florida Home Insurers Disproportionately Dropping Low-Income Households

Non-renewal rates are highest in inland counties, not the coastal areas most immediately vulnerable to storms.

2 hours ago - Inside Climate News

"Altadena - Not For Sale" yard sign in front of burned down house after Eaton Fire in Altadena, California in January 2025.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations

Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

July 7 - Dwell

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA